Method for enhancing fuel combustion and enhancing the yield of fluid catalytic cracking and hydroprocessing

ABSTRACT

A method of enhancing fuel combustion using a specific catalyst composition with a preselected type of fuel. Upon blending the catalyst with the fuel a mixture is formed where a hydrocarbon structure of the fuel is relaxed by opening up and spreading/spacing out to allow more available oxygen to reach and react with the fuel on a molecular level. The relaxing of the hydrocarbon structure, upon combustion, reduces harmful emissions, burns fuel more efficiently, improves horsepower and torque performance, and improves fuel economy.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/489,620 filed Apr. 25, 2017.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to improved combustion of fuels and in particular combustible hydrocarbon based fuels. More particularly, the invention is directed to a method of mixing a catalyst or enhancer with fuel to reduce harmful emissions, increase power, and improve fuel economy.

Combustion of fossil fuels and in particular, oil derived fuels such as gasoline and diesel is never completely efficient. The consequences of inefficient combustion range through high fuel consumption, a buildup of carbon on cylinder heads and on pistons, variations in motor efficiency, and production of excess amounts of noxious bi-products such as carbon monoxide, partially burnt hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides (NOx). In addition, the sun reacts with NOx in the atmosphere creating a high concentration of ozone in urban areas at sea level which is dangerous for lungs and is also toxic for marine life.

Various fuel additives and catalytic reduction systems have been proposed to improve fuel economy and reduce combustion exhaust pollutants. While useful, these additives and catalytic reduction systems provide a partial burn where soot deposits remain in engines and exhaust systems (for example in an exhaust gas boilers in ships) instead of burning away. Typically, diesel fuel is injected into particulate traps in a regeneration cycle to help burn away the particulate matter. While helpful, the process results in dirty oil and wear on the engine as the soot, which is grainy, causes wear on the cylinder and cylinder wall. Further, additives have not been able to convert an ultra-low sulfur diesel into a high-quality diesel. Also, additives, due to their limited effect on combustion efficiency, are restricted in the amount of power they produce from fuels. Finally, the additives are limited in their ability to produce greater fuel economy.

In addition, as is well-known, fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) and Hydroprocessing (HDP) are important conversion processes used in petroleum refineries. The processes are used to convert high-boiling, high-molecular weight hydrocarbon fractions of petroleum crude oils to more valuable gasoline diesel fuel, aviation fuel, kerosene and the like, olefinic gases, and other products and to remove unwanted toxic components like sulfur and benzene ring compounds. Presently, metal catalyst beds or cans are often used in the FCC and HDP processes. While very useful, these have limitations due to cost and often tend to break down in small pieces that can wind up in the fuel requiring continuous cleaning.

Accordingly, a need exists in the art for a method that improves upon these deficiencies.

An objective of the present invention is to provide a method for enhancing fuel combustion that relaxes the hydrocarbon structure of fuel to permit more available oxygen to react with the hydrocarbon.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a method of enhancing fuel combustion that reduces harmful emissions, burns fuel more quickly and efficiently, improves horsepower and torque performance and improves fuel economy.

These and other objectives will be apparent to those skilled in the art based upon the following written description, drawings and claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method for enhancing fuel combustion includes the step of selecting a specific catalyst compound for use with a preselected type of fuel. Preferably, the catalyst is in liquid form, organic, and metal free. The preselected type of fuel includes, but is not limited to, gasoline, ultra-low sulfur diesel, coal, shipping fuel, and jet fuel.

Upon blending, the specific catalyst compound causes the hydrocarbon structure of the fuel to relax, meaning that the hydrocarbons open up, spread out, and are spaced apart. As a result, available oxygen is able to reach and react to the hydrocarbons during combustion.

As a result, the relaxed hydrocarbon structure of the fuel and more available oxygen reaching and reacting to the fuel, enhanced combustion occurs. Enhance combustion of this method leads to a reduction in harmful emissions, burning of fuel more quickly and efficiently, and improvement in horsepower, torque and fuel economy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a chart showing a reduction in harmful emissions;

FIG. 2 is a chart showing a reduction in harmful emissions;

FIG. 3 is a chart showing pressure generated from the combustion of untreated fuel;

FIG. 4 is a chart showing pressure generated from the combustion of treated fuel;

FIG. 5 is a chart showing horsepower performance with and without treated fuel;

FIG. 6 is a chart showing horsepower performance with and without torque; and

FIG. 7A is a chart showing emissions at high altitude;

FIG. 7B is a chart showing emissions at high altitude; and

FIG. 7C is a chart showing emissions at high altitude.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the Figures, a method for enhancing fuel combustion begins by determining a specific catalyst composition for use with a preselected type of fuel. For example, a unique and specific catalyst composition would be selected for gasoline, another for diesel, another for aviation fuel and yet another for a furnace or the like. The catalyst is used with fuel for combustion in an internal combustion engine, a turbine, a boiler, jet engine, or furnace as well as for an FCC or HDP process. Preferably, the catalyst is homogenous with the fuel.

The catalyst composition is of any type that causes the hydrocarbon structure of the fuel to relax (i.e. open and separate) so more of the available oxygen can react with the fuel on a molecular level so that a more complete combustion occurs. In addition, the catalyst composition leads to a cleaner engine by causing carbon deposits that cause hot spots and NOx emissions to burn away and preventing further deposition since almost no fuel is left unburned or partially burned. The top of the pistons are cleaner and carbon deposits on the heads and cylinders are vastly reduced. The engine then runs clean and stays clean as there is no particulate and thus no hot spots leading to better performance. Also, the injector tips remain cleaner.

In addition, the reduction in NOx emissions further reduces high concentrations of ozone at sea level. Preferably the catalyst composition is in liquid form so that the composition becomes part of the fuel and all molecules are exposed to the catalyst composition and catalyst composition remains in the fuel upgrading the quality of the fuel and the efficiency of the burn in the combustion process. Thus, not only does the clean engine run more efficiently but the catalyst composition improves efficiency. Preferably the catalyst composition is completely organic, and metal free.

This is particularly important as a number of countries prohibit use of a metallic catalyst to aid in the fuel combustion process.

An example of the catalyst composition can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,503,944, 8,287,607, and 8,945,244, incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The conventional fluid catalytic cracking process breaks large hydrocarbon molecules by contacting them with a powdered catalyst at a high temperature and moderate pressure which first vaporizes the hydrocarbons and then breaks them. Present catalysts used for cracking are fine powders usually complexed into small pellets or beads with many air pockets with a bulk density of 0.80 to 0.96 g/cm³ and having a particle size distribution ranging from 10 to 150 μm. While useful, present catalysts have difficulty breaking all the ends of long-chained hydrocarbons and ring complexes such as those found in jet fuel and shipping fuel in particular. As a result, the resulting fuel either does not completely burn or produces black smoke.

To improve upon this, a determined catalyst composition in liquid form, as described above, is selected and used in the catalytic cracking process. When the liquid catalytic composition is used, as is shown, the hydrocarbon structure opens increasing the performance of the cracking hydroprocessing.

In refining HDP processes are used to improve each type of fuel quality and remove compounds not allowed in the final fuels due their toxic nature of because they produce toxic emissions when burned and foul engines. Due to the nature of the present invention where the presence of the homogenous catalyst in the fuel precursor causes the activation energy for reactions to lower the rate will improve and thus the efficiency and the conventional catalytic beds will last longer and less maybe required.

Once the catalyst composition is determined for a selected fuel, the catalyst composition is blended and loaded in a delivery tanker truck. The delivery tanker truck delivers the blended mixture to a storage tank or tote at a diesel supplier depot where the blended catalyst composition is pumped into a storage tank. Finally, at the depot, a tanker truck is filled with a predetermined amount of the blended catalyst composition from the storage tank as the tanker is filled with fuel.

Through testing, the use of a catalyst composition that opens-up and spaces the hydrocarbons in a selected fuel have led to improved and unexpected results. In one example, the determined catalyst composition has reduced harmful emissions. Utilizing Heavy Duty Transient Cycle U.S. Federal Test Procedures the addition of a determined catalyst composition was added to an ultra-low sulfur diesel, 15 ppm sulfur. FIG. 1 shows the important differences between a clean diesel fuel (such as California ULSD diesel) and standard diesel that have significantly more components that lead to toxic emissions shown by the amounts in the difference column for the items marked with an asterisk. The results of a test using a blended catalyst composition, are shown in FIG. 2, similar to the California-level ULSD reference fuel.

Additional testing of the determined catalyst composition has resulted in increased power based upon improved combustion efficiency. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, fuel treated with the determined catalyst composition produced a smoother higher peak pressure closer to top dead center and more fuel burned closer to top center. After 20° from top dead center, 86% of the fuel, treated with the determined catalyst had burned compared to 50% of the non-treated fuel. As a result, torque and horsepower are increased due to greater pressure being exerted on the piston head closer to top dead center. Further, because more fuel is burned earlier in the cycle and because the fuel burns in a more smooth and clean manner, fewer hot spots occur which substantially reduces NOx. Also, less unburned fuel is available toward the end of the stroke that interacts with the remaining oxygen-starved air which results in the generation of less toxic emissions.

In additional tests performed on a Volvo truck having a Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine, fuel treated with the determined catalyst composition produced an average improvement of 44 horsepower (13.4%) and an average torque improvement of 11.6% in ft-lb. (See FIGS. 5 and 6).

In another test fuel treated with the determined catalyst composition improved fuel economy. For example, using SAE J1321 Test Protocol on a Mercedes Benz Actros Euro 5/Euro 6, treated 2012 Euro spec diesel with the determined catalyst composition, fuel economy improved between 8% and 15% compared to non-treated fuel.

The determined catalyst composition was also used with multiple Deutsche Bahn AG diesel railcars of the VT 628 series during regular service. As a result, catalyst treated fuel reduced diesel consumption on average by 10% compared to non-treated fuel.

The catalyst composition is also used in relation with coal. The result is an increase in yield and a decrease in toxic emissions such as NOx, SOx, and unburned hydrocarbon. When mercury is present within the coal, the toxic mercury emissions are reduced.

With respect to the shipping industry, when the catalyst composition is added to the fuel, the catalyst composition assists in reducing NOx and SOx in the exhaust, and this may also reduce the amount of sea water used with SOx removing scrubbers which in turn reduces the amount of energy needed to clean the scrubbers. By injection of the catalyst composition into fuel before injection into the engine and into the exhaust manifold, which is very hot, a reaction occurs quicker which further reduces SOx emissions into the atmosphere.

When added to jet fuel, the catalyst composition improves the efficiency of jet engines. Because the catalyst composition relaxes the hydrocarbon structure of the fuel, a greater amount of the available oxygen reacts with the jet fuel which reduces the activation energy of the fuel needed for the jet engine to increase the production of thrust and improve the lift on the wings. This is particularly helpful in the stratosphere where jet planes cruise as there is far less oxygen available than at sea level.

While jet engines are far more powerful than piston engines, both rely upon combustion to produce power. Testing has shown that by adding the catalyst composition to jet fuel, the plane's fuel economy improved.

Additional testing has shown that the addition of the catalyst composition at high altitude improves emissions from diesel fuel. More specifically, in Quito, Ecuador, which has an elevation of 9,350 feet above sea level, a test was conducted over a thirty-day period. The test was done to show the efficacy of the catalyst composition in two scenarios. The first scenario used three stationary Bazan Man pump engines that were used to pump fuel throughout Ecuador. The second scenario used two mobile Chevrolet (Botar) Buses. The results of the stationary test as shown in the graphs were that NOx was reduced by an average of 48.51% (See FIG. 7B), carbon monoxide by 51.2% (See FIG. 7C), and sulfur dioxide by 51.84% (See FIG. 7A). The results of the mobile bus tests showed a reduction in NOx of 53.3%, in carbon monoxide of 51.2%, and in sulfur dioxide of 21.3%.

In another embodiment, the use of a homogenous catalyst composition improves the efficiency in refinery processes. When a homogenous catalyst composition is added to crude oil or fractional components of crude oil in a refinery, the principle effect is to relax the complex structure such that the ionic form of the catalyst molecules present in the crude oil or fractional components reduces the activation energy needed for the reactions that are being driven in the reactor. Not only does the homogenous catalyst composition enhance certain parts of the refinery process, the homogenous catalyst composition may allow for the replacement of certain catalyst beds in some processes and be complementary to catalyst bed performance thereby increasing the productivity (rate of production of desired distillate or chemical species). 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for enhancing fuel combustion, comprising the steps of: selecting a specific catalyst composition for use with a preselected type of fuel; and blending the specific catalyst composition with the preselected type of fuel to form a mixture where a hydrocarbon structure of the preselected type of fuel is relaxed allowing more available oxygen to react with the fuel on a molecular level.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of combusting the mixture to cause carbon deposits to burn away preventing further deposition.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific catalyst composition is in liquid form.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific catalyst composition is organic.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific catalyst composition is metal free.
 6. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of combustion reduces NOx emissions and high concentrations of ozone at sea level.
 7. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific catalyst composition is blended with an ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and combusted to reduce harmful emissions.
 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of combusting the mixture to increase power based upon increased combustion efficiency.
 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of combusting the mixture where an amount of fuel burned with treated fuel in relation to top dead center is greater than an amount of burned with untreated fuel.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein torque and horsepower are increased due to greater pressure exerted on a piston head closer to the top dead center.
 11. The method of claim 9 wherein less partially combusted fuel is available toward an end of a piston stroke resulting in less toxic emissions.
 12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of combusting the mixture to improve fuel economy.
 13. The method of claim 1 wherein the preselected type of fuel is coal and upon combustion the mixture yield is increased and toxic emissions are decreased.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein mercury is present within the coal and upon combustion mercury emissions are reduced.
 15. The method of claim 1 wherein the blending step includes injecting the specific catalyst composition into shipping fuel before injection into an engine and an exhaust manifold to create a quicker reaction and reduce SOx emissions into the atmosphere.
 16. The method of claim 1 wherein the preselected type of fuel is jet fuel.
 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of combusting the mixture at high altitude.
 18. The method of claim 1 wherein the specific catalyst composition is a homogenous catalyst composition that upon combustion improves refinery process efficiency.
 19. The method of claim 1 wherein the mixture is used in the catalytic cracking process. 